This is a quick productivity tip for anyone who feels overwhelmed by the over-abundance of information and obligations. Fold the towels first. I first developed this metaphor when I figured out how to “get around to” folding the laundry for my family of four. There was a big intimidating pile of laundry that I didn’t want to start working on. So, I just walked up to the pile and pulled out all of the towels, folded them all, and put them away in about five minutes. I came back to the pile two hours later, and it was about half as big as the last time I looked at it. There, not so intimidating. Let’s finish the rest of this work.
Similarly, I was able to apply this metaphor to large volumes of errors in spreadsheets full of workforce data. You see, there is a high likelihood that if you look at all of the problems you need to solve, there is typically one big problem that can be solved really quickly. Think of this as a strike-attack against the intimidation factor. Just wrap up one big problem then step away from your desk for an hour or for the day. Come back to your list of woes, and the remaining work should seem far easier. It works with laundry. It works with big data. And, it could work for you.
Unsubscribe to your biggest spam provider, request a deadline extension on your most unreasonable task, ask for help with that thing that is beyond your ability, or send a courtesy note to that one person you’re worried that you might have offended. It doesn’t always work out this way, but when it does work, it’s incredibly empowering.
[Repost from October 7, 2017]
Stuart Murray Speaks 